The F-15 has been in the news with three recent crashes one of which has resulted in a law suit:

On 2 November 2007, a 25-year-old F-15C (s/n 80-0034 of the 131st Fighter Wing) crashed during air combat maneuvering training near St. Louis, Missouri. The pilot, Maj. Stephen W. Stilwell, ejected but suffered serious injuries. The crash was the result of an in-flight breakup due to structural failure. On 3 November 2007, all non-mission critical models of the F-15 were grounded pending the outcome of the crash investigation, and on the following day, grounded non-mission critical F-15s engaged in combat missions in the Middle East. By 13 November 2007 over 1,100 were grounded worldwide after Israel, Japan and Saudi Arabia grounded their aircraft as well. F-15Es were cleared on 15 November 2007 pending aircraft passing inspections. On 8 January 2008, the USAF cleared 60 percent of the F-15A-D fleet for return to flight. On 10 January 2008, the accident review board released its report stating the 2 November crash was related to the longeron not meeting drawing specifications. The Air Force cleared all its grounded F-15A-D fighters for flight on 15 February 2008 pending inspections, reviews and any needed repairs. In March 2008, Stilwell, the injured pilot, filed a lawsuit against Boeing, the F-15's manufacturer.[1]

followed by:

2 F-15 Jets Crash; 1 Pilot Dies

WASHINGTON POST

Thursday, February 21, 2008; Page A03

Two F-15C fighter jets went down over the Gulf of Mexico near the Florida Panhandle yesterday afternoon, just days after the Air Force cleared the fleet to fly amid concerns about the structural integrity of the aging airplanes.

Air Force officials said last night that it was too early to speculate about the cause of the crashes. They could not say whether the jets collided or whether they went down separately. Coast Guard crews rescued the pilots, who ejected. One pilot subsequently died. The other is expected to survive.

The jets were reported missing about 2 p.m. when they lost radio contact with the control tower. Both planes were based in Eglin Air Force Base near Pensacola, Fla.

Air Force officials grounded the fleet of A through D models of the F-15 last year after an F-15C ripped apart during a training flight in Missouri, and after investigators determined that the 30-year-old jet had structural weaknesses. Nine other F-15s were found to have similar problems and have been grounded indefinitely. The Air Combat Command cleared the last of the 429 grounded F-15s for flight last Friday.